VIDAS Lyme Overview

The NEW VIDAS Lyme assays allow for independent measurements of IgG and IgM antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. When used together, these assays provide better correlation to disease stage and more specific information for the clinician for better patient management.1

Sensitivity and specificity of these assays is achieved with the addition of innovative recombinant chimeric proteins (VIsE, DbpA, OspC) allowing detection of all main pathogenic Borrelia strains (sensu stricto, afzelii, garinii). The design of the chimeric protein constructs includes C6 (the VIsE invariant region IR6), which allows the VIDAS Lyme IgG II assay to provide high sensitivity and specificity and limit cross reactivity. The VIDAS Lyme IgG II assay has a low level of cross-reactivity to syphilis and other infectious disease, and also reduces the number of unnecessary confirmatory tests needed, resulting in cost reduction.2

Testing with the automated VIDAS platforms can be done in batch or random access modes. Total time to results is 27 minutes facilitating quick diagnostic decisions.

VIDAS Lyme IgG II and VIDAS Lyme IgM II, are first tier assays for the presumptive detection of human antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. As such, positive and equivocal specimens should be further tested with a Western Blot assay. Notice that the VIDAS Lyme IgG II assay does not have an equivocal zone and only positive results must be confirmed.

CDC's recommended Two-Tiered Testing for Lyme Disease

The CDC recommends a two-tier process for testing for Lyme disease. First, ELISA based assays are used mainly for screening followed by confirmation of positive or equivocal results by Western Blot (WB).

IgM antibody

IgG antibody

Western Blot

Likely Interpretation

Positive

Positive

Positive

Likely Lyme Disease

Positive

Negative

Negative

Early infection or false positive

Negative

Positive

Positive

Late or previous infection

Negative

Negative

(usually not performed if IgM and IgG are negative)

No infection present, symptoms may be due to another cause or antibody levels too low to detect.

VIDAS® Lyme Features

Differentiated serological profile

Facilitates classification of Lyme borreliosis: early or late/chronic, active or immune

“The LYT EIA had higher cross-reactivity when other diseases were tested (73% specificity) than the LYM/LYG EIAs (91% and 82% specificity when duration of illness was considered and not considered, respectively).”5

Easy result interpretation

No equivocal zone for VIDAS Lyme IgG II results

Avoid unnecessary patient anxiety and additional testing

Streamlined workflow, rapid results

Results in 27 minutes

Calibration only once every 28 days

Ease-of-use

Single-dose tests

Cost effective1,2

Decreased number of total immunoblots that are needed for second-tier testing

Reduction in costs associated with immunoblots

Reduction in the level of specialized training that is required to properly perform an EIA as compared to immunoblotting

This webinar, given by Dr. Ursula Lena Prisco, describes the potential diagnostic benefits of using the dissociated VIDAS Lyme IgM II and VIDAS Lyme IgG assays in a 2-tier EIA approach vs. the use of the standard EIA.western blot algorithm.